This post is the third in a series of posts based on the “Best Practices for School Auctions” whitepaper from the Greater Giving Fundraising Excellence Series. Each new post covers the unique challenges school auction planners face, and how to overcome those challenges. Read additional articles: School Auctions Series
Why Bother Analyzing Auction Results?
you’ve just wrapped up your big school auction. The decorations are packed away, the last check has cleared, and you’re ready to catch your breath. But before you move on, take a moment to ask: What actually worked this year?
Looking at your results gives you a clear picture of what went well, what fell flat, and how you can make next year’s event even stronger. Think of it as giving your team a roadmap, you’ll know where you’re starting from and exactly where you want to go.
Ask the Right Questions
Grab your committee (and maybe a cup of coffee) and run through these key questions:
Revenue goals
- Did we hit our need-to-have revenue goal?
- Did we also reach our nice-to-have goal?
Revenue sources
- How much came in from ticket sales?
- Did sponsorships meet expectations?
- Which auction items really fired up the bidding?
- Did raffles, games, or other revenue enhancers add value?
Operations
- Was procurement smooth—or stressful?
- Did we manage volunteers effectively?
- How did logistics go before, during, and after the event?
- Were vendors easy to work with?
Answering these questions gives you a snapshot of the event’s strengths and weaknesses.
Pass the Baton Smoothly
Analyzing results isn’t just about numbers—it’s also about passing on what you’ve learned. Ideally, the current auction chair and next year’s chair should go over the results together, with input from each committee.
Some schools make this super simple by promoting the assistant auction chair into the lead role for the next year. If that’s your setup, knowledge transfer gets a whole lot easier.
Once the new chair is in place, the next steps are to:
- Recruit an assistant chair
- Choose committee leads
- Share all the lessons learned (the good, the bad, and the “never again” moments)
That way, the next team starts ahead of the game instead of starting from scratch.
Set Realistic Goals for Next Year
Now that you’ve got data and insights, it’s time to look forward. Sit down with your new team and ask:
- Given what we achieved this year, what’s realistic for next year?
- Which revenue streams should we lean into—ticket sales, sponsors, or auction items?
- Which items sparked the most bidding, and how can we secure more like them?
- What parts of operations need the most improvement?
These questions help you set goals that aren’t just ambitious, but actually achievable.
Wrapping It Up
Analyzing your school auction results isn’t just busywork—it’s how you make every year better than the last. By asking the right questions, passing on knowledge, and setting realistic goals, you’ll save next year’s team a ton of headaches and set your event up for even bigger success.
What’s Your Experience?
How do you analyze your auction results and set goals? How do you pass on this knowledge to the next auction team? What tools and systems have you found helpful in this type of analysis? What do you wish you had that would make it easier? Please share your experiences in the comments below. We’d love to know what you are learning.
